Storm window lock



May 24, .1955 'r. J. HIGGINS 2,709,099

STORM WINDUW LOCK Filed April 28, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l i Q n 7 -u b INVENTOR. FIG I THOMAS J. HIGGINS ATTORNEYS May 24, 1955 T'. JQ HIGGINS 2,7o9;oa9

STORM wmnow LOCK Filed April 28, 1954 2' sheets-sheet 2 v INVENTOR. 27 THOMAS J. HIGGINS FIGS BY z j m ATTORN EYS STORM WINDOW LOCK Thomas J. Higgins, Alliance, Ohio, assignor to Storm Windows of Aluminum, Inc., Wayland, Ohio, at corporation of Ohio The invention relates generally to devices for making storm windows prowler proof, and more particularly to Zjhilfih Patented May 24, 1955 ice and a bottom rail or sill 10. The rails are all provided along their outer edges with continuous attaching flanges which are secured to the window frame of the building by screws 11. The inner portions of the rails are provided with, suitable parallel channels (not shown) in which the upper and lower sashes 12 and 13 are slidably mounted; A third channel may be provided for a screen sash if desired.

The upper and lower sashes 12 and 113 are each composed of four rails mitered at the corners as shown, and preferably the rails are formed from extruded aluminum. The side rails of both sashes and the top rail of a locking device for a storm window preferablycon unauthorized person, and once the upper sash is opened,

the inside locking means for the lower sash become accessible from above the lower sash.

The primary 'purposeofthe present invention is to provide novel andimproved means for preventing release of the upper sash latching means from outside the window when both sashes are in closed position.

Other objects include the provision of asimple and inexpensive, lockingydevice for the upper s'ash' which is easily applied, tojaj conventional window ,of the type described, which is automatically moved to locking position when both upper and lower'sashes are moved to closed position, and which is automatically unlocked by a slight opening movement of the lower sash.

These and other objects are accomplished by the improved locking clip comprising the present invention, a preferred embodiment of which is illustrated byway of example in the accompanying drawing, and described in detail in, the following specification. Various modifications and changes in details of construction may be madewithin the scope of the invention defined in the Window embodying theinvention, viewed from exterior I of the window when mounted on a building;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross section on line 2-2, Fig. 1, through the meeting rails of the upper andlower -sashes in closed position; I l

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing themeeting mil ly separated; b a 1 Fig. 4 is 'a-fraginentary perspective view of a lower corner of the 'uppersash, showing the location of the improved locking device;

Fig. 5 is an interior elevation of a lower corner of the upper sash may have the same cross section, and the other rails have similar cross sections but differ in certain details. All of the rails have certain features which are shown in Figs. 24, including an open channel 15 which faces toward the center of the sash, and an open channel 16 which faces outwardly and is separated from channel 15 by a central web 17.

The channels 15 receive the edges of the glass panes 18 which are held in U-shaped gaskets 1% of rubber or the like in a conventional manner. In assembling the sashes the gaskets are fitted around each pane and then the sash rails fitted thereover and the corners secured together in a manner to be described. The channels 16 are preferably provided with inwardly facing ribs 2% spaced from the webs 17 which partially enclose the channels 16. When the sash rails are to be fitted around the panes, right angular securing arms 21 are inserted in the communicating channels 16 at the corners and the rails secured thereto in any suitable manner.

As shown in Figs. 24, the upper or meeting rail 22 of the lower sash 13 has a downwardly inclined flange 23 on its outer face for interlocking with an upwardly inclined flange 24 on the lower or meeting rail 25 of the upper sash 12 when the sashes are in closed position as shown in Fig. l. The open channels 16 of the meeting rails 22 and 25 are preferablyprovided with inwardly facing ribs 26 spaced outwardly from the ribs 20, and the space between ribs 20 and 26 may be used to accommodate latches 27 at each end of the rail for holding the upper sash in various positions, including the fully closed position shown in Fig. 5;

-The latches 27 preferably have a straight bar portion 28 which slides in the channel between ribs 2t) and 26, and its outer end projects out of the sash into an opening 29 provided in the frame member 7, for holding the upper sash in fully closed position. A series of such openings may be provided in the frame for holding the sash in different positions. At the inner end of each latch is a downwardly extending loop 30 which extends between opposing ribs 26 and projects below the lower edge of the sash. At the points Where the loop passes between the ribs 26 the stock is flattened. The loops provide handle portions by which the latches are manipulated.

the upper sash, partly broken away to show the relalatch'and the improved locking clip,

The inner end 31 of each latch projects upwardly beyond the ribs 20 of the channel 16, and when the latch is in its outermost position, as shown in Fig. 5, the end 31 abuts the inner end of the corner insert 21. A coil spring 32 is located in the channel between the web 17 and the ribs 20, and one end of the spring bears against the latch portion 31 while the other end is backed up by alug 33 bent out of the web 17, so that the spring .urges the latch bar outwardly toward the frame membeer 7. By moving the latches 27 inwardly of the sash to withdraw the latch bars from the side frame members 7 and 8, the sash 12 may be slid vertically in the frame.

Thus, without the locking means comprising the present invention, a prowler or intruder would be able to lower the upper sash from the outside of a building and thus reach down inside to unlatch the lower sash and ultimately gain access through the window.

The novel locking clip is indicated generally at 35, and consists of a resilient plate bent in a loop to form a long leg 36 and a short leg 37, leg 36 having an angular flange 3S and leg 37 having an angular flange 39 substantially parallel thereto, and both flanges extending in the same direction from the loop. The loop is designed to fit over the inner flange of the channel 15 on the meeting rail 25 of the upper sash, and the length of short leg 37 is such that flange 39 will fit under the pane'18 and lie against the web 17, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The length of leg 36 is such that flange 33 thereon will enter a slot 40 provided in the inner flange of channel 16 and between the ribs 29 and 26 therein, so that when the leg 36 is pressed against the inner face of rail 25. the edge of flange 38 will enter the channel 16 behind the flattened portion of the inner end 31 of the latch, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5.

The inclined interlocking flange 23 is notched at 41 to permit the legs 36 of the clips 35 to lie flat against the inner face of the rail, but the resiliency of the plate causes the leg 36 to spring away from the face as indicated in Figs. 3 and 4, except when held against the face. in the spring-away position, the flange 38 clears the end 31 of the latch 27 and allows it to be released from engagement with the frame.

However, in the fully closed position of Fig. 2, the interlocking flange 23 of the meeting rail 22 of the lower sash engages and holds the leg 36 against the face of rail 25 with the flange 38 in position to lock the latch against releasing movement. Accordingly, since the lower sash is locked in closed position from the inside and cannot be opened from the outside, there is no way to release the latches 27 from the outside except by breaking or cutting the glass pane, and the storm window is prowler proof.

To release the locking clips, the lower sash need only be raised sufficiently to disengage the interlocking flange 23 from the clips, whereupon the latches 27 can be released in the usual manner.

What is claimed is:

1. In a storm window having upper and lower sashes provided with meeting rails having interlocking flanges, and a laterally movable latch in the meeting rail of the upper sash, a resilient locking clip on the inner face of the upper sash meeting rail and having an angular flange movably extending into the upper sash meeting rail, said flange normally clearing said latch, and the interlocking flange on the lower sash meeting rail ensaid clip to hold said angular flange in looking relation to said latch in the closed position of the'sashes.

2. In a storm window having upper and lower sashes provided with meeting rails having interlocking flanges, and a laterally movable latch in the meeting rail of the upper sash, a resilient locking clip extending between the meeting rails in closed position and having an angular flange extending-into the upper sash meeting rail behind the latch, rneans on said lower sash meeting rail to hold the angular flange in looking position, and the spring tension in the clip causing the angular flange to release the latch when the meeting rails are moved apart.

3. In a storm window having upper and lower sashes provided with meeting rails channel-shaped in cross section, and a laterally movable latch in the upper sash meeting rail, a spring clip engaged over the inner leg of the upper sash meeting rail channel and having a portion extending downwardly over the inner face of said meeting rail normally out of contact therewith, an angular flange on the lower end of said portion extending into said meeting rail, and said lower sash meeting rail in closed position pressing the clip portion against the upper sash meeting rail to move said clip angular flange into locking relation to said latch.

4. In a storm window having upper and lower sashes provided with meeting rails channel-shaped in cross section, and a laterally movable latch in the upper sash meeting rail, a spring clip engaged over the inner leg of the upper sash meeting rail channel and having a portion extending downwardly over the inner face of said meeting rail normally out of contact therewith, an angular flange on the lower end of said portion extending into said meeting rail, and means on said lower sash meeting rail for pressing the clip portion to move its angular flange into locking relation to said latch in the closed position of the sashes.

5. In a storm window having upper and lower sashes provided with meeting rails having interlocking flanges, and a laterally movable latch in the meeting rail of the upper sash, the interlocking flange of the upper sash meeting rail having a portion removed to form a slot therein, a resilient clip secured to the upper edge of said upper sash meeting rail and having a leg extending downwardly through said slot, an angular flange on said leg extending into said upper sash meeting rail, the interlocking flange on the lower sash meeting rail engaging said clip leg to move the angular flange into locking relation to said latch in the closed position of the sashes, and the spring tension of the clip causing the angular flange to release the latch when the meeting rails are moved apart.

6. In a storm window having upper and lower sashes provided with meeting rails having interlocking flanges, and a laterally movable latch having 21 depending handle portion in the meeting rail of the upper sash, the interlocking flange of the upper sash meeting rail having a portion removed to form a slot therein, a resilient clip secured to the upper edge of said upper sash meeting rail and having a leg extending downwardly through said slot, an angular flange on said leg extending into said upper sash meeting rail, the interlocking flange on the lower sash meeting rail engaging said clip leg to move the angular flange behind the depending handle portion of said latch in the closed position of the sashes, and the spring tension of the clip causing the angular flange to release the latch when the meeting rails are moved apart.

7. In a storm window having upper and lower sashes provided with meeting rails, and a laterally movable latch in the meeting rail of the upper sash, a spring locking clip on the upper sash meeting rail on the side adjacent to the lower sash meeting rail, means on said clip for extending into the upper sash meeting rail in looking relation to said latch, and said lower sash meeting rail in closed position engaging said clip to move it into locking position.

8. In a storm window having upper and lower sashes provided with meeting rails, and a laterally movable latch in the meeting rail of the upper sash, a spring locking clip on the upper sash meeting rail on the side adjacent to the lower sash meeting rail, means on said clip for extending into the upper sash meeting rail in locking relation to said latch, and means on said lower sash meeting rail for engaging the clip to move it into locking position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 675,263 Brown May 28, 1901 2,288,936 Casey July 7, 1942 2,559,300 Hines July 3, 1951 2,636,227 Altwies Apr. 28, 1953 

